Galvanizing apparatus and process



Aug. 13, 1935.

A. BRADLEY GALVANIZING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed July .'50, 1931 50MinPatented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE western Barbcorporation of Illinois Wire Company, Sterling, Ill., a

Application 4July 30, 1931, Serial No. 553,957

12 Claims.

This invention has todo with the art of galvanizing or coating variousobjects, and concerns more particularly an apparatus and process bywhich hinge joint wire` fence is galvanized and treated so that such'joints retain their hinge effect after solidication of the zinc orother coating material.

In the past it has been common to make galvanized wire fence by firstgalvanizing the individual wires and then forming the fabric, with theresult that the rust resisting property of the zinc coating on the wireis considerably reduced by the time the fabric is produced. This is dueto the bending, twisting and the like of the wire which is necessary inthe production of the fabric. Thus, for example, the common commercialgalvanized wire prior to fabrication into fencing and the like, whensubjected to the usual commercial test by immersion for one minute in acopper sulphate solution, willshow no `evidence of penetration of thezinc coating by the solution until between two and one-half and threetests, whereas after the galvanized wire has been fabricated to formfencing or the like, the wire will not stand more than one to one andone-half such tests, The requirements of railroads and the governmentare somewhat more rigid than those of commercial establishments andspecify that the untwisted or unknotted portions of the wire of thefencing must be capable of withstanding four tests, but make norequirements as to the portions of the wire which'are twisted or bent asin the case of hinge joint fence. It has been found in actualpracticethat where the ordinary wire is capable of withstanding four tests, theknots or hinge joints are lgood for only one to one and one-half tests.It is accordingly obvious that, inasmuch as a chain is as strong as itsweakest link, and the hinge joints or knots are very poorly coated withzinc, it will not be long after the beginning of the use of fencing madein accordance with the past practice to become rusty at and adjacent thehinge joints, knots and the like. It is accordingly one of the principalobjects of the present invention to provide a galvanizing apparatus bywhich wire fabric and the like may be coated or plated after the fabricis made together with an improved method of producing the fabric. It isa further object of the invention to provide an apparatus embodyingmeans for preventing the formation of globules and the like of the zincon various parts of the wire fabric.

` A further object of the invention resides in the provision ofinstrumentalities associated with a galvanizing apparatus or the likefor preventing (Cl. 91-l2.2)

freezing of the zinc at hinge joints in the wire fabric.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of animproved method by`which hinge joint fence is galvanized after the fenceitself is 5 fabricated, without interfering with the hinge action of thevarious portions of the fence.

In carrying out the invention, fabricated fence from a reel or the like,emerging from a kettle of molten zinc or other coating material, passesthrough charcoal or other like material in grained form by which excesszinc or the like is wiped from the major portion of the fence, thelatter being subsequently tapped, jarred or otherwise suitably agitatedin such a manner as to throw off the excess zinc or spelter at thejoints andat the same time cause the parts of each hinge joint to pivotabout the line wires, thereby preventing freezing of the hinge joints.The instrumentalities for tapping or similarly treating the fabric as itemerges from the zinc kettle are such as to agitate and flex the jointsfrom a point beyond the wiping material and at which the zinc on thefabric is in a molten condition to a point along the fabric at which thezinc coating is substantially solidified. With this construction, thedanger of any freezing of joints occurring after the fabric has beenjarred is removed.

Further in accordance with the present invention, the instrumentalitiesby which the fabric is both agitated and flexed are themselves flexibleso that in the flexing of the fabric, the stay wires will not be undulystretched.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and accompanying drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing andhereinafter more fully described.

Figure l is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional diagrammatic view ofone form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a. right end view of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a hinge joint of hinge joint fence.

Figure 4 shows hinge joint fence deflected by the device of myinvention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein the same partsare indicated throughout by the same reference characters, there isindicated at I a kettle for containing zinc or vother coating materialin a liquid condition at the desired temperature, thekettle having aninlet opening (not shown) for receiving the metal to be coated, and anoutlet opening at 2 -through whichthe'fabric 3 emerges. A boxlike orother container 4 contains grained charcoal or the like 5 above and onopposite sides of the opening 2 and serving to wipe a major portion ofthe excess zinc clinging to the emerging coated material 3.

A framework 6 comprising standards 1 is pro- Fvfded with suitablebearings in which the ends of the shafts on which the pulling or`drawing rolls 8 land 9 and the sprockets I0`andf |I are carried.

A second framework I2 comprises standards |3 disposed on one side and |4on the other side of the path of movement of the fabric 3 as it` passesonto the finishing reels the various standards being connected by thecross bars I5 and I6. Each standard I3 carries one end of a crank shaftI1 in suitable bearings, the other ends of the shafts I1 being carriedin suitable bearings in the standards I4. Sprockets I8 are carriedadjacent the ends of the shafts I1, and are connected by chains I9 sothat the shafts I1 will rotate in unison. A chain connects the sprocketsI9 and carried on the standards 1, and suitable chains are employed forconnecting the sprockets with the adjacent sprockets I8. A suitablesource of motive power is connected to any one of the shafts, as, forexample, that on which the roll 9 and sprockets are carried. It willthus be evident that the shafts will move together. It will beunderstood, of course, that gearing or any other suitable means could besubstituted for 'the chain drive herein disclosed.'

Each shaft I1 adjacent its ends carries an eccentric 20 which isreceivedin a follower ring 2|. Each ring 2| is connected by a rod or thelike 22 to an end of a horizontal rod or bar 23, and it will be clearthat for each revolution of each shaft I1, the bars 23 will be' given avertical throw and return equal to the throw of the eccentrics 20.

The bars 23 extend transversely of the path of movement of the fabric 3,and are provided with aligned openings in which trunnion pins 24 arecarried.

A longitudinally extending beam member 25 is pivotally mounted on eachset of aligned trunnions 24 and depends therefrom as shown in Figures 1and 2. Each member 25 is provided at its lower edge with a substantiallyV-shaped groove 26 and with spaced transversely extending substantiallyV-shaped grooves 21, the distance between adjacent transverse grooves 21being substantially equal to the distance between adjacent stay wires29. Spring elements 40 embrace the sides of each member 25 and also thelends thereof and are secured to the transverse members 23 and serve toresiliently hold the member 25 vertical but permit the member 25 toswing in both directions.

The structure embodying the transverse supporting members 23 and thegrooved members 25 is duplicated below the same, the correspondingtransverse members 3| having trunnions 32 by which the members 33 arepivotally carried, spring elements 34 resiliently holding the members 33in vertical position. The transverse members 3| are slidably secured tothe standards I3 and I4 asshown at 3|a. The longitudinal members 25 arespaced apart a distance equal to twice the distance between line wiresof the fabric, as are also the longitudinal stationary members 33. Themembers 33, however, are arranged in alternating relation to the members25, and the several mem- -bers are disposed so that the line wires arealigned with the longitudinal grooves in the members 25 and 33 as shownin Figure 2. The line wires are indicated at 35 and are continuous forthe full length of the fabric, whereas the stay wires 29 are individualelements which are brought together and coiled about the line wires 35to form hinge joints generally indicated at 36.

The distance between adjacent grooves 21 is substantially equal to thedistance between successive joints of the fabric, and the circumferenceof the drawing or pulling roll 9 is equal to this distance, inaccordance with the illustrated form of the invention. Moreover, thevarious sprockets are formed with the same number of teeth and the samediameter so that for every revolution of the drawing roll 9, there willbe one revolution of each shaft I6 and eccentric 20.

With the parts thus arranged, it will be evident that the joints 3.6will be disposed in juxtaposed relation to the several transversegrooves 21 of the members 25 and 33, and upon every down stroke of themembers 25, the various joints 36 will be lodged in the transversegrooves 21 of aiternate members 25 and 33 as shown. As will be clearfrom the drawing, the normal clearance between the members 25 and 33 andthe fabric 3 is sufficient to permit the free movement of the fabric 3when the members 25 are in their uppermost positions as shown in Figures1 and 2. When the members 25 are in their lowermost positions, as shownin Figure 4, it will be noted that the bottoms of the grooves in themembers 25 are disposed substantially below the bottoms of thecorresponding grooves of the members 33, so that the stay Wires 29 willhave a hinge action about the several line wires as indicated. 0fcourse, while the members 25 are moving downwardly, the fabric 3 ismoving forwardly as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, and in order toavoid impedance of the progress of the fabric 3, during both the downand up strokes of the members 25, the bars 23 are fioatingly suspendedat 2|a and the bars 3| are slidably supported at 3|a. As the fabric 3moves forward during the time that the bottoms of the members 25 arebelow the tops of the members 33, the fabric engages the forward wallsof grooves 21 of the various `members 25 and 33 and moves them forwarduntil the members 25 have risen sumciently to permit clear passage ofthe fabric.

It will be noted that by reason of the pivotal mounting of the variousmembers 25 and 33, assuming for the sake of illustration only that themember 25a is in the center of the transverse bar 23, those bars 25 and33 to the left of the bar 25a will be tilted slightly to the right andtoward said bar 25a,'and those to the right of said bar will be tiltedsomewhat to the left, when the bar 23 is in its lowermost position asshown at 23a in dotted lines. The tilting of the various members 25 and33 is caused by the fact that the stay wires 29 when deflected as shownin Figure 4 cause the line wires 35 and joints 36 to be drawn closertogether. The coils at the joints 36 will perhaps be slightly stretchedand the resulting tension will serve to return the stay I wires to theirnormal positions.

The members 25 and 33 are made so long that a major portion, if not all,of the fabric passing between the sets of members 25 and 33 at any giventime carries the coating of zinc or the like in a molten state, andadditionally of such length that the portion of the fabric 3 emerging atthe forward ends of the members 25 and 33 is substantially dry. It willthus be apparent that the jarring of this portion of the fabric ispractically continuous' so that the corresponding substantiallycontinuous flexing of the stay wires 23 combined with the impacts bywhich the e`xcess spelter is removed, will prevent freezing of the hingejoints so that the latter will retain their eillciency as such when inuse.

With the above described construction, it will be clear that noadjustment of the members25 and 33 either vertically or lengthwise ofthe fabric 3 is necessary. `These `members are, however, preferablymade'removable so that in the event that hinge joint fence of differentdimensions is to be galvanized, correspondingly formed impactmembers'may be secured in proper positions with respect to the standardsI3 and il as well as with respectto the fabric. Moreover. if desired,instead of making the circumference of the drawing roll 9 the same asthe distance between the transverse grooves 21, the roll 9 may bedifferently dimensioned in order to obtain the desired synchronismbetween the vertical reciprocation of the bars or members 25 and theforward movement of the fabric 3.

'I'he globules of spelter or zinc which collect in the spaces betweenthe coilsof each hinge joint 33 as well as between the coils andthe linewires 35 about which they are wrapped, are considerably thicker than theremainder of the zinc coating, so that the jarring or agitation of thefence or fabric 3 will not appreciably disturb the zinc coating exceptwhere it has collected in globules and the like, and the excess zinc inthe globules will -be thrown oif by the action of the members 25 and 33.After being agitated, the 'fabric 3 proceeds into an area or bln andthen passes along suitable idler rolls to the finishing reel. When thereel reaches a given size, the fabric 3 is cut oil adjacent the reel andwhile preparation is being made to place a new reel in position andsecure the free end of the fabric 3 thereto, the galvanizing process isnot interrupted, but continues, the fabric collecting during this timein the area or bin mentioned. As soon as the new reel is in position,the shaft to which it is secured is rotated by a suitable motor or thelike, once the fabric is attached thereto. Suitable means associatedwith the drawing roller 3 will cause the latter to continuously rotateso that the gaivanizing process may not be interrupted. n

I have found in practice that the unbent wire of the hinge joint fenceproduced in accordance with the present invention will withstand as manyls eight immersions or tests in copper sulphate, each of one minuteduration, before any sign of corrosion appears, and that the wireforming the joints or knots will withstand five or six such tests, whilecorresponding portions of the wire of hinge joint fence made ofpre-galva nized wire will stand relatively few tests and enjoycomparatively little life in use.

In order to insure the proper positioning of the transverse grooves 21of the members 25, and 33 upon the down stroke of the members 25, stops31 and 33 are secured preferably to the framework as shown, and springs3! and 40 cooperating respectively with the transverse `bars 23 and 3i,or the members 25 and 33 carried thereby, constantly urge said barstoward these stops. Thus, as soon as the bottoms of the reciprocatingmembers 25, in their upward movement. clear the forwardly moving yfabric3, and as soon as, during this movement of the fabric, the latter clearsthe members 33the members 2l and 33 will be drawn toward the stopsmentioned by said springs, and in these positions the several memberswill be ready for proper engagement with the fabric upon the next downstroke of the members 25.

It will be noted that if desired the lower bars 3l could be stationaryand the upper bars 23 could be limited to vertical reciprocation, inwhich event the transverse grooves 21 could be made sumciently wide toallow the forwardly moving fabric to ride up the forward walls of saidgrooves as the members 25-are moving upward, -without any impedance ofthe forward movement of the fabric.

Because ofthe V shape of the various longitudinal and transverse groovesin the bars 25 and 33, these grooves are substantially self cleaningwith respect to any of the molten zinc which might tend to adhere to thewalls of the grooves upon contact therewith.

If desired, the beating or agitating mechanism herein described andillustrated could be dispensed with and in its stead an attendant couldbe employed to strike by hand the joints of the fabric at suitableintervals. However, by the use of the mechanism mentioned, or othersuitable instrumentalities, more reliable results are obtainable.

Abutments 4l and 32, carried respectively by the rear bars 23 and 3|,cooperate with the springs 39 and lll. Guides 43 straddle the bars 3iand thus constrain the latter to horizontal movement. l

If desired, the spring 33 and abutment 4l could be dispensed with andthe force of gravity depended upon to return the bars 23 to the stop 31.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a Lwide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hleeon otherwise than necessitated by theprior a I claim as my invention:

.1. In an apparatus including a kettle containing molten coatingmaterial and means for draw` ping wire or like hinge fabric to be coatedfrom said kettle, instrumentalities for agitating the from the kettleand having longitudinal grooves to receive the line strands andtransverse grooves to receive at predetermined intervals the staystrands of the fabric, a second set of movably mounted grooved barspositioned adjacent the line strands alternating with those firstmentioned, resilient means resisting movement of the bars, means fordrawing the fabric from the kettle and progressing the fabric forwardlybetween said sets of bars, mechanism shifting one set toward the otheruntil said sets substantially cverlap each other, and means forsynchronizing said drawing means with said mechanism so that the hingejoints of the fabric will be located in said transverse grooves of theseveral bars when said sets are overlapped and so that the fabric willprogress a distance equal to the distance between successive stay wiresduring the time it takes the -sets to again become overlapped, thepivotal mountings of the various bars permitting the grooves in thelatter to receive the joints of the fabric while the latter isdeflected.

. .2. In an apparatus for producing ,galvanized-- yhinge joint fabricafter the' lattefis fabricated,-

means for drawing the fabric thru a molten bath of zinc and mechanismactuated in synchronism with the advancing movement of the fabric andincluding impact elements disposed and adapted for defiecting each jointof the fabric repeatedly from a point at `which the excess zinc in thejoints is liquid to a point at which the zinc at the joints issubstantially solidied, whereby freezing of the joints is prevented.

3. In an apparatus for producing galvanized hinge joint fabric after thelatter is fabricated, mechanism for defiecting veach joint of the fabricrepeatedly from a point at which the excess zinc in the joints is liquidto a point at which the zinc at 'the joints is substantially solidified,whereby freezing of the joints is prevented, said mechanism including areciprocating member having spaced grooves to successively receive ajoint of the fabric, and means timed with the progression of the fabricso that the joint will be disposed in a different -groove each time saidmember reaches one of its limits of reciprocation.

4. In an apparatus for producing galvanized hinge joint fabric after thelatter is fabricated, means for drawing the fabric thru a, molten bathof zinc and mechanism actuated in synchronism with the advancingmovement of the fabric and including impact elements disposed andadapted for defiecting each joint of the fabric repeatedly from a pointat which the excess zinc in the joints is liquid to a point at which thezinc at the joints is substantially solidified, whereby freezing of thejoints is prevented, said mechanism including eccentric means forreciprocating said elements.

5. The process of producing galvanized hinge joint fabric, whichcomprises the steps of coating the fabricwith molten zinc, andsubsequently flexing the stay wires of each joint repeatedly byimpacting the same until said joint is substantially dry, whereby excesszinc at the joint will be removed and freezing of the `joints will beobviated.

6. The process of producing galvanized hinge joint fabric, whichcomprises the steps 'of coating the fabric with molten zinc, andsimultaneously progressing said fabric and repeatedly pivoting eachhinge joint of the fabric from a time when the excess zinc 4at saidjoints is liquid to a time at which said zinc at the joints issubstantially dry.

7. The process of producing galvanized hinge joint fabric, whichcomprises applying a coat of molten zinc to the fabric and subsequently,from a time when the zinc at the joints is wet to a time when the zincat the joints is substantially dry, striking each joint and causing thestay wires of each joint to pivot, whereby excess zinc .at the joints isthrown olf and freezing of the joints is prevented.

8. In an apparatus including a kettle containing molten coating materialand means for drawing wire or like hinge fabric to be coated from saidkettle, instrumentalities for agitating the fabric while the material onthe same is in an unsolidied condition, saidk instrumentalitiesincluding a set of movable bars extending adjacent alternate linestrands of the fabric emerging from the kettle and having longitudinalgrooves to receive the line strands and transverse grooves to receive atpredetermined intervals the strands of the fabric, a, second set ofmovably mounted grooved bars positioned adjacent the line strands"alternating with those first `mentioned, resilient means. resistingmovement of the bars,l means for drawing the fabric from the kettle andprogressing the fabric forwardly between said sets of bars, mechanismshifting one set toward the other until said sets substantially overlapeach other, and means for synchronizing said drawing means with saidmechanism so that the hinge joints of the fabric will be located in saidtransverse grooves of the several bars when said sets are overlapped andso that the fabric will progress a distance equal to the distancebetween successlve stay wires during the time it-takes the sets to againbecome overlapped.

9. In an apparatus for producing galvanized hinge joint fabric after thelatter is fabricated, mechanism for defiecting each joint of the fabricrepeatedly from a' point at which the excess zinc in the joints isliquid to a point at which the zinc at the joints is substantiallysolidified, whereby freezing of the joints is prevented, said mechanismincluding a reciprocating member having spaced grooves to successivelyreceive a joint of the fabric, and means timed with the progression ofthe fabric so that the joint will be disposed in a different groove eachtime said member reaches one of its limits of reciprocation, and meansforward and rearward of said mechanism for supporting the fabric.

10. In an apparatus for producing a galvanized hinge joint fabric afterthe latter is fabricated, mechanism for deflecting each joint of thefabric repea edly from a point at which the excess zinc in the joints isliquid to a point at which the zinc at thejoints is substantiallysolidifled,whereby freezing of the joints is prevented, said mechanismincluding means for movably supporting the fabric as it emerges from agalvanizing kettle, devices for defiecting alternate line wires of thefabric, at least cne of saiddevices being reciprocable in directionstransverse to the fabric and both of said devices being loosely mountedfor limited movement with the fabric, and means for returning saiddevices to predetermined positions upon the completion of the last namedmovement.

11. ,In an apparatus including a kettle containing molten coatingmaterial and means for drawing wire or like hinge fabric to be coatedfrom said kettle, instrumentalities for agitating the fabric while thecoating material on the same is in an unsolidied condition, saidinstrumentalities comprising members extending adjacent alternate linestrands of the fabric emerging from the kettle and having longitudinalgrooves to receive the line strands and transverse grooves to receive atpredetermined intervals the stay strands of the fabric, a second devicecomprising movably mounted grooved members positioned adjacent the linestrands alternating with those first mentioned, means for drawing thefabric from the kettle and progressing the fabric forwardly between saidsets of members, mechanism for shifting one set toward the other untilsaid sets substantially overlap each other, and means for synchronizingsaid drawing means with said mechanism so that the hinge joints of thefabric will be located in said transverse grooves of the several memberswhen said sets are overlapped, and so that the fabric will progress adistance equal to the distance between successive stay wires during thetime it takes the sets to again become overlapped, one of said devicesbeing mounted by suspension so that it will be carried by the movingfabric when the stay wires are disposed in the transverse grooves,whereby impedance of movement of the fabric will be obviated.

12. In an apparatus for agitating galvanized hinge joint fabric, a pairof devices disposed on opposite sides of the fabric. means constrainingone of said devices for limited movement in the direction of movement ofthe fabric, resilient means for returning said one device to apredetermined position, said devices having pockets arranged inaccordance with the joints of the fabric, the pockets of each devicebeing disposed adjacent alternating line wires of the fabric so thatupon relative movement 0f said devices, one set of alternate line wireswill be displaced from the ceive said joints.

plane'containing the other set of alternate line wires, means forreciprocating the other of said devices for deilecting alternate linewires of said fabric, said means pivotally carrying the other devicewhereby the joints engaged in said pockets will shift said devices asthe fabric progresses,

whereby the progress of the fabric will not be interfered with by saiddevices, and mechanism for synchronizing the reciprocating means withthe means for drawing the fabric so that upon reciprocation of the otherdevice, the pockets will vre- ALBERT BRADLEY.

